The Dutch Army in the French Revolution 1792-1795 (5)
5. Artillery and supporting units
5.1 Artillery organisation and strength
The artillery arm of the United Provinces consisted in 1792 only of foot artillery.
For the campaign of 1793 4 companies horse artillery In in 2 brigades) were added.
Added to the artillery was a regiment of mineurs of 1 battalion of 4 companies with (in 1793) a total strength of 256 men. Also a company of pontoniers of 60 men belonged to the artillery arm.
According to the budget of 1792 the foot artillery consisted of a regiment foot artillery of 4 battalions each of 5 companies so a total of 20 companies. Each company had 137 men while the regimental staf had 15 men, so the regiment had a total of 2.755 men.
With the augmentatie of 1793 an artillery staf was created of 5 men, each artillery company received 21 men or a total of 420 men were added to the 4 existing battalions. Each company now was 158men.
Added to the artillery was also:
- a fifth battalion with the same strenth as the other 4
- 4 companies of horse artillery (organised in 2 "brigades") each company of 108 men. A small staff for the horse artillery brigades consisted of 7 men so the horse artillery total was 439 men (theoretical of course)
According to the "History of the horse artillery"in 1793 the horse artillery was raised to a strenth of 2 brigades each of 2 companies each of 6 officers, 7 NCO, 7 corporals , one trumpeter, 80 gunners and 5 workmen (smith, carpenter, wheelmaker etc) or a total of 106 men. There was no additional train personnel; these had to be rented in time of war.
Each company should have 4 6pdr, 2 3pdr and 2 24pd houwitzers.
Per gun, the crew consisted of:
6pdr: 1 NCO, 1 corporal, 7 gunners, 2 horse holders and 3 drivers (so the gun had a limber with 6 horses)
3prd: 1 NCO, 1 corporal, 7 gunners, 2 horse holders and 2 drivers (limber with 4 horses)
24pdr houwitzer: 1 NCO, 2 corporals, 6 gunners, 2 horse holders and 2 drivers (again limber with 4 horses)
Additional remark: horseholders and drivers were not mentioned in the organisation as mentioned in the budget. Of the 80 gunners of a company, 54 would be manning the guns according to the above organisation which leaves 26 gunners. The drivers and horse holders totals 36 so I think the 26 gunners were used as amunition carriers etc and drivers and horseholders were hired personnel. (but see the practice in the campaign under)
The mineurs and pontonniers received no extra men for the 1793 campaign.
5.2 Campaigning
For the 1793 campaign "Hardenberg" records that the artillery added tot the field army consisted of 48 3pdrs (for service with the field battalions - so grenadiers had no battalion guns- and 3 batteries of 6- and 12pounder guns and howitzers.
The field strenth of the artillery for the 1794 campaign was according to "Sabron" 20 pieces of 12pound, 20 pieces of 6 pound, 2 howitzers of 16pound and 8 howitzers of 24 pound. How they were divided intot batteries I don't know (yet).
The personel strength was 1766 men.
To give some more information about the Dutch horse artillery in the 1794 campaign (the practice of war!):
For the campaign of 1794, the horse artillery needed to be ready but was understrength and it was decided that one company (instead of the 4 mentioned) would be made ready. The first and second brigade needed to deliver both men for this company who had to be be mounted and armed.
Added to this, each brigade had to deliver 1 corporal and 10 men to act as drivers for the gun limbers. It is mentioned that this had to be expierenced men because manoeuvring the guns was difficult.
About the crews for caissons and other wagons is not spoken, so these had to be hired from sollicitors.
Additional note:
Mentioned is, that in the period of the Batavian Republic (after 1795) the manner in which the field train was formed stayed the same: men and horses for the train were hired in time of war. But this was changed for the horse artillery; although men and horses were hired, this was also during peacetime. This seperate arangement was changed in 1801 when permanent train personnel were added to the artillery; every artillery brigade received a train division; for each company 25 train servants and 25 horses.
5.1 Artillery organisation and strength
The artillery arm of the United Provinces consisted in 1792 only of foot artillery.
For the campaign of 1793 4 companies horse artillery In in 2 brigades) were added.
Added to the artillery was a regiment of mineurs of 1 battalion of 4 companies with (in 1793) a total strength of 256 men. Also a company of pontoniers of 60 men belonged to the artillery arm.
According to the budget of 1792 the foot artillery consisted of a regiment foot artillery of 4 battalions each of 5 companies so a total of 20 companies. Each company had 137 men while the regimental staf had 15 men, so the regiment had a total of 2.755 men.
With the augmentatie of 1793 an artillery staf was created of 5 men, each artillery company received 21 men or a total of 420 men were added to the 4 existing battalions. Each company now was 158men.
Added to the artillery was also:
- a fifth battalion with the same strenth as the other 4
- 4 companies of horse artillery (organised in 2 "brigades") each company of 108 men. A small staff for the horse artillery brigades consisted of 7 men so the horse artillery total was 439 men (theoretical of course)
According to the "History of the horse artillery"in 1793 the horse artillery was raised to a strenth of 2 brigades each of 2 companies each of 6 officers, 7 NCO, 7 corporals , one trumpeter, 80 gunners and 5 workmen (smith, carpenter, wheelmaker etc) or a total of 106 men. There was no additional train personnel; these had to be rented in time of war.
Each company should have 4 6pdr, 2 3pdr and 2 24pd houwitzers.
Per gun, the crew consisted of:
6pdr: 1 NCO, 1 corporal, 7 gunners, 2 horse holders and 3 drivers (so the gun had a limber with 6 horses)
3prd: 1 NCO, 1 corporal, 7 gunners, 2 horse holders and 2 drivers (limber with 4 horses)
24pdr houwitzer: 1 NCO, 2 corporals, 6 gunners, 2 horse holders and 2 drivers (again limber with 4 horses)
Additional remark: horseholders and drivers were not mentioned in the organisation as mentioned in the budget. Of the 80 gunners of a company, 54 would be manning the guns according to the above organisation which leaves 26 gunners. The drivers and horse holders totals 36 so I think the 26 gunners were used as amunition carriers etc and drivers and horseholders were hired personnel. (but see the practice in the campaign under)
The mineurs and pontonniers received no extra men for the 1793 campaign.
5.2 Campaigning
For the 1793 campaign "Hardenberg" records that the artillery added tot the field army consisted of 48 3pdrs (for service with the field battalions - so grenadiers had no battalion guns- and 3 batteries of 6- and 12pounder guns and howitzers.
The field strenth of the artillery for the 1794 campaign was according to "Sabron" 20 pieces of 12pound, 20 pieces of 6 pound, 2 howitzers of 16pound and 8 howitzers of 24 pound. How they were divided intot batteries I don't know (yet).
The personel strength was 1766 men.
To give some more information about the Dutch horse artillery in the 1794 campaign (the practice of war!):
For the campaign of 1794, the horse artillery needed to be ready but was understrength and it was decided that one company (instead of the 4 mentioned) would be made ready. The first and second brigade needed to deliver both men for this company who had to be be mounted and armed.
Added to this, each brigade had to deliver 1 corporal and 10 men to act as drivers for the gun limbers. It is mentioned that this had to be expierenced men because manoeuvring the guns was difficult.
About the crews for caissons and other wagons is not spoken, so these had to be hired from sollicitors.
Additional note:
Mentioned is, that in the period of the Batavian Republic (after 1795) the manner in which the field train was formed stayed the same: men and horses for the train were hired in time of war. But this was changed for the horse artillery; although men and horses were hired, this was also during peacetime. This seperate arangement was changed in 1801 when permanent train personnel were added to the artillery; every artillery brigade received a train division; for each company 25 train servants and 25 horses.